Wrist guard or protector



July 21, 1959 w. Dzus WRIST GUARD OR PROTECTOR Filed Feb. 25, 1954 INVENTOR United States Patent 2,895,658 WRIST GUARD 0R PROTECTOR William Dzus, West Islip, NY. Application February 25, 1954, Serial No. 412,563 1 Claim. (Cl. 224-4 This invention relates to an improved wrist guard or protector for use with expansible bracelets and bands of the type employed in holding wrist watches in place.

Expansible bracelets and bands of the type commonly used for holding wrist watches in place have the advantages that they can be worn on wrists of different sizes, and such expansible bracelets and bands are widely used today. They have the disadvantage that they exert a constant compressive force on the wrist interfering with normal circulation, particularly circulation through the capillaries near the skin surface, and in the case of the metal link type of bracelet the links are impressed into the skin and flesh with possible injurious results and also embossing the wrist in an undesirable manner, and in addition the links have a tendency to become tangled with the hair on the wrist.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome these difficulties and disadvantages and to provide an improved wrist guard or protector for use with expansible bracelets and bands of the type commonly employed for holding wrist watches in place which will prevent the band or bracelet from exerting an undesirable compressive force on the wrist and from interfering with normal circulation and from embossing the wrist in an undesirable fashion.

Further objects include the wrist guard and protector of the above type which is of simple, inexpensive construction, which can be readily applied to the various types of expansible bracelets and bands, and which, while preventing the undesirable compressive action referred to above, will not interfere with the normal function of the band and bracelet so that the watch can be readily assembled around or removed from the wrist but will be firmly held against accidental displacement while assembled around the wrist.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a wrist watch with an expansible band or bracelet assembled around the wrist and having my improved wrist guard or protector applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the watch and band or bracelet in the direction of the arrows on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed 'view of the watch together with the adjacent portions of the expansible band or bracelet and the wrist guard or protector illustrating the manner in which the protector retains the band in partially expanded condition and prevents it from exerting a compressive force;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the band or bracelet in expanded condition as when it is being assembled around or removed from the wrist;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a wrist guard or protector embodying my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a modified type of attaching device for securing the protector to the expansible band.

My invention is applicable to many different types of expansible bands or bracelets such as those used in seprovision of an improved curing a wrist watch in place around the wrist of a wearer. In the accompanying drawing 1 have shown a conventional wrist watch secured in place by one conventional form of expansible metal link bracelet 11. At its two ends the bracelet is attached in a well-known manner to the arms or brackets 12 formed on diametrically opposite sides of the watch. The watch and band form a complete loop or circle which can encircle the wrist of the wearer. The bracelet or band is of the expansible type which can expand from a normal contracted position to a fully expanded position and is elastic or springy in character so that it will return, when released, to its normal contracted position. When expanded to any extent, it exerts a compressive force upon any object or article encircled by the bracelet because of its inherent tendency to return tov its normal contracted position. Watchbands and bracelets of this type are well-known and such bands and bracelets per se do not constitute my invention.

In assembling a watch and band of this type around the wrist, it is expanded to permit the assembly to pass over the hand of the wearer. The band or bracelet will then contract around the wrist remaining in partially expanded condition so as to exert a compressive force on the wrist. To protect the wrist from this compressive action and the undesirable results flowing therefrom, I provide my improved wrist guard and protector, which is indicated generally at 14.

The wrist guard and protector is in the form of a strip of material which is at least substantially as wide as the expansible band or bracelet 11. The strip is non-contractible longitudinally but should be flexible so that it can be applied to the inner surface of the band and extended around the wrist of the wearer, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For this purpose a thin metal strip, such as stainless steel or a precious metal or a base metal plated with a precious metal, serves satisfactorily. If preferred, a suitable plastic material may be used in making the strip.

The length of the strip will vary with the size of the wrist to which it is applied. After the strip is applied to the inner surface of the band, as shown, it should extend to the two ends of the band when the watch is applied to the wrist holding the band in partially expanded condition so as to prevent the band from exerting compressive force on the wrist. On the other hand, the strip should not be so long that the bracelet or band fits too loosely. The strip can be made in a plurality of different lengths to fit any size wrist or it can be cut to length as desired.

Suitable connecting means of the lost motion type are provided to connect the strip to the inner surface of the band in such a fashion as to hold it in place but so as to permit the bracelet to expand further beyond the length of the strip when the watch is applied to or removed from the wrist of the wearer, in the manner indicated in Fig. 4. The type of connecting means may be varied and may take the form of the connecting tabs 15, shown in Figs. 1 to 5, which project from the side edges of the strip adjacent the two ends and the central portion and folded around the band or bracelet. The tabs hold the strip in place but permit relative expansion of the band or bracelet. It will be seen that the two ends of the strip and also the tabs 15 at the ends engage the connecting portions at the two ends of the band and serve to hold the band in the desired partially expanded position which will vary with the size of the wrist of the wearer.

Other forms of attaching means may be used, as for instance, small straps 16 extending completely around the bracelet or band as shown in Fig. 6. When this type of attaching means is employed, my guard or protector is pre-assembled with the bracelet either during manufacture of the bracelet or with the watch.

No matter what type of attaching means are employed, the two ends of the strip should be free so that the band or bracelet can slide or expand with respect thereto. The attaching means at the intermediate portion of the strip may form a tight, non-shiftable connection with respect to the band or bracelet if desired without interfen'ng with the expansion of the bracelet.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved Wrist guard or protector for use 'With expansible bracelets or bands of the type commonly employed for holding wrist watches in place which will protect the wrist of the wearer from the compressive force exerted by the band or bracelet and from the undesirable results flowing therefrom.

Modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiments of my invention without departing from the invention as set forth in the accompanying claim.

prior to its assembly I claim:

A wrist band assembly comprising an expansible, metal band for securing a wrist watch around the wrist of a wearer and which can expand and contract between expanded and fully-contracted positions and a flexible strip at least substantially as wide as the band and cooperable to be applied to the inner surface of the band and having lost motion connecting means adjacent both ends of the strip for connecting the strip to the band so that the band can expand with respect to the strip, said strip being longer than said band when the band is in fully contracted position and being non-contractible and said connecting means having portions engaging with the band adjacent the two ends thereof and serving to maintain the band in partially expanded condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

